The chattering atmosphere came to a stop. Footsteps echoed through the hall as a couple walked through the marble floors, lighting it up with each and every step. The male was handsome while his wife was gorgeous. Her beauty mark did justice to its name- adding to her beauty.

Despite being a Marquess house, the Belfords’ impact on the audience was akin to that of the mighty Academy was for a single reason- ‘the trouble at the North’. For a mysterious reason, the Belford house assembled their army and declared a war against its Western Marquessate neighbour- the Bradley family.

A civil war almost broke out in the Kingdom. If not for the direct interference from the Royal family, the Crimson house and the Ironcross house and indirect support from other powerful groups- tens of thousands of citizens would have died, causing utter chaos in the kingdom, weakening it in the process.

The reason for the Northern Marquessate’s sudden aggression was unknown and would probably be forever. But the even greater mystery was their decision. If it were before the ‘trouble’ everyone would have been sure that they would choose the Crown Prince. But now? Who would they choose? Go against the Bradley house completely and go to the right? Or be ‘safe’ and walk straight? Or forgive everything and go to the left.

The Royals above were watching attentively as well. Their choice would definitely be a major variable in the selection. Adrian’s eyes were glued to the duo as well- the beautiful middle aged woman to be precise.

Before hundreds of pairs of eyes, the couple kept walking straight. They did not stop, nor did they turn left or right. The only noticeable thing they had done was bowing towards the ones sitting on the second floor.

Finally, they reached the central main table and sat opposite to the representatives of the Academic.

Adrian whose eyes were on them from the moment of their entrance, finally looked away.

“Looks like she failed.” Adrian muttered as he shook his head and sighed. But it did not any time whatsoever for a smile to form on his face. This was definitely not the best case scenario. But that was not his plan anyway from the beginning.

He had thought of something else altogether.

Below, at the central main table, the Belfords greeted the Academy delegates before chatting among themselves. Both of them poured each other the expensive wines prearranged on the tables and cheered before taking a sip.

Ethansa stirred the cherry red, slightly transparent beverage as she sneaked a glance at the main table of the Prince’s side. Her eyes met with those of Marquess Bradley.

The Marquess tightly clenched his fists under the table while a smirk escaped her lips.

She looked around, searching for someone. Then she looked up, where the Royals and the future confidants of the rulers were sitting at. She scanned from left to right.

Finally, her eyes met the abyssal eyes- those same abyssal eyes that belonged to the one who brought upon her salvation. Even though she was dozens of meters away, she was sure. The slight smile that he gave her set everything in stone.

“It is you!” She muttered under her breath.

“Anything wrong?” Her Husband squinted.

“No dear, I just remembered something.” She shook her head.

Her eyes blanked as she began to look back on what happened the previous year- that fateful year.

At the beginning of the year, she met ‘him’. He gave her the perfect plan, and the required tools to make sure that she loved her husband and nobody else.

She secretly fed her husband the ‘divine’ potion he gifted her.

After a few days, she gathered up her courage and sat with her spouse for a serious talk. There, she ‘revealed’ everything. How she was ‘raped’, how she was ‘blackmailed’, how she was ‘used’, how she wanted to ‘kill herself’- everything with tears streaming down her eyes.

The Marquess was incensed; he was so enraged that he broke down everything in his room and even killed a few of his maids. He wasted no time and gathered his army, all ready to take the Bradley house down.

But the upper echelon of the nation joined to interfere- just as planned. Both of the Marquesses- one from the Bradley house and the other hailing from the Belford family were called upon for a discussion.

There, Marquess Belford revealed everything. His counterpart retorted. He complained that she did that voluntarily because her husband was infertile. The panel of judges came to a decision- to check whether that was the case. If Marquess Belford was infertile, then the Belford house was at fault and would be punished and if he was not, Marquess Bradley was at fault and would be deemed an adulterer by the state and would be punished accordingly.

Unfortunately, there were no magic available to determine the disease or check bloodline. Magic was not omnipotent after all. So, they decided to go ‘analogue’.

They hired a fertile commoner woman. Marquess Belford had to have sex with her. She would be under constant supervision from then on. If she became pregnant, the Marquess would pass- if not, utter failure.

Recovery from infertility was not even a variable because there were no cures available for that hideous disease.

Marquess Belford followed the procedures accordingly. And after a month, it was discovered that the woman was pregnant. He- was not infertile. Hence, he had a valid reason to wage war on another Marquessate and was deemed innocent.

But the case was the exact opposite for the other party. Marquess Bradley was accused of being an adulterer, and worse- a rapist, and rightfully so. Even on the day of the discussion, he did not deny having sex with her. Rather, he said that the sex was consensual with the infertility as excuse. Now that Marquess Belford’s fertility was proven, Marquess Bradley being a rapist was the most legitimate scenario.

Hence, the Bradley had to lose a quarter of their everything; half of it went to the Belford Marquessate while the other half was taken by the Royal family. Moreover, even though the situation was not publicised, it did not change the fact that Marquess Bradley would forever be known as a rapist to the highest echelon of the country.

Then, came the matter of noble supremacist faction. It was impossible for the two marquess families to march under the same banner. One of them had to leave. That was where she again came into play. She sweet talked her husband into getting out of the faction.

She also tried to do the same and make him join the princess’s faction. But this time, she failed. He knew how strong the supremacist faction was and he did not want to get in its way.

And now, here they were. Two past allies were now akin to enemies- both of them occupying spots on two different segments.

Adrian smiled smugly- his ‘genius’ plan to hit two birds with one stone worked. First, he made a marquess house completely leave the prince’s faction. Second, he made Marquess Bradley a ‘rapist’ and also had quarter of his properties seized- devaluing the Marquess family’s worth.

Before even five minutes could pass since the Belfords’ arrival, another announcement took place.

“Marquess Rumins have arrived!”